December 15, 2017

A Day in Keylong- The Gateway to Lahaul

It had rained incessantly for two days and I was stuck in
Koksar, 45 Kms before Keylong. On the third day, the rains subsided and though
the sky wasn’t clear, there was absolutely no rain. As I rode out to Keylong,
the sun peeped through the dark clouds for a while before disappearing again. Going past the stream crossings, Pagal Nalla
and Turning Nalla, I headed to Keylong. Spectacular landscapes looked gorgeous
after the rains with ice capped mountains, waterfalls and green patches.

While Spiti has garnered all the attention over the years,
Lahaul- its silent partner has been witness to numerous visitors heading past
her to other destinations such as Spiti and Ladakh. Keylong at 10,380 feet is often referred as the gateway
to Lahaul, and along with Udaipur forms the major towns of Lahaul. Ruled by
Kashmir, Chamba and Tibetan rulers, the land also has a mix of various races. Keylong
is the district headquarters and also acts as a major stopover between Kullu
valley and Ladakh.

Riding from Koksar, the first major attraction was Sissu
falls which is a huge plunge falls by the road at Sissu village. The
surrounding greenery and the mountain backdrop accentuate the charm of the
beautiful falls. Further ahead, I stopped at Tandi where lies the confluence of Chandra and Bhaga
rivers. The brown waters of Chandra and the green waters of Bhaga joins to form
Chandrabhaga river which later becomes Chenab river, the most voluminous river
to rise in India. The confluence is beautiful and waters of both the rivers
are distinctly visible and can be easily discerned.

Keylong has quite a few secluded monasteries and Kardong monastery
is one of the prominent ones amongst them. It was a lonely ride up the winding mud
road from Keylong to Kardong, which was the capital of Lahaul in the 12th
century. Beautiful views of mountains and the confluence gave accompaniment all
the way till fluttering colourful prayer flags showed up. Situated along the
slopes and ridges of Drilburi Mountain is Kardong gompa. As I walked down the steps to the monastery, an
old fragile looking nun guided me to the main temple, where a young lama showed
me around. Lined with prayer wheels along its periphery, both the interiors and
exteriors of the monastery are colourful. Believed to be more than 200 years
old, the main statue of Buddha is made of clay and the monastery follows Lho-
Dug sect of Buddhism. I was told by the monk that there are about 30 resident
monks at the monastery.

Down the road and atop another mountain lies Shashur gompa,
another isolated monastery near Keylong and the most important one in Lahaul.
The spiraling road went past many curves and bends to the 17th
century Shashur gompa. The two storeyed structure has numerous small prayer
wheels and a large one in the small courtyard. The monastery follows Drugpa
sect of Buddhism and has carved colourful wooden doors and window panels.
The gompa has a fifteen feet long Thangka (Buddhist painting) and numerous wall
paintings. The inner sanctum also houses the statues of Shakyamuni,
Padmasambhava and Tara. The monks were busy with their daily chores and I walked
around alone. The views from the upper deck are beautiful.

Back in Keylong town, I rounded off my visit with a stroll through the market which is
lined with numerous shops and small eateries. Tayul gompa and Guru Ghantal gompa (oldest in Lahaul) are the other prominent monasteries in Lahaul. The museum of Lahaul and Spiti
has an interesting display of traditional instruments, attires, lamps and
photographs of various tourist attractions.

Navigator:

Keylong is 116 Kms from Manali on Manali- Leh road. The
nearest airport is at Bhuntar (168 Kms) and the closest railhead is at Chandigarh
(431 Kms). There are regular buses from Manali to Keylong, except during
winters. Rohtang pass which lies between Manali and Keylong closes during the
winter months from November to May.

Food and Accommodation:

There are numerous food stalls and small eateries in Keylong
market which serve both Indian and Tibetan food. Keylong town has both budget
and mid-range stay options. Kardong monastery too offers rooms for travellers.